2001 Suburban won't start

[flyman1965]

Ok, my Suburban won't start. It's not the battery or the starter, those both work fine and it's got plenty in the tank. Any quick ideas? Fuel injectors? Clogged fuel line? Bad gas? Help!

[sbrbnh8r]

I would guess your fuel pump is dead. I have a 2001 Suburban and am on my third pump. (65,000 miles on it) Just had it replaced again 2 weeks ago. When you turn the key to the start position, you should hear a low hum from the back of the vehicle for a few seconds. If not, your pump is most likely not working. After researching this on the web, it seems to be a very common problem with Chevy trucks. My mechanic replaces pumps in Chevys all the time. One failure happened in heavy highway traffic at 65 mph. Nearly caused an accident.

According to what I have found, you need to keep at least a quarter of a tank of gas in the vehicle at all times to keep the pump cool and replace your fuel filter quite often.

I hope it isn't your pump, it isn't cheap!

[flyman1965]

Originally Posted by sbrbnh8r

I would guess your fuel pump is dead. I have a 2001 Suburban and am on my third pump. (65,000 miles on it) Just had it replaced again 2 weeks ago. When you turn the key to the start position, you should hear a low hum from the back of the vehicle for a few seconds. If not, your pump is most likely not working. After researching this on the web, it seems to be a very common problem with Chevy trucks. My mechanic replaces pumps in Chevys all the time. One failure happened in heavy highway traffic at 65 mph. Nearly caused an accident.

According to what I have found, you need to keep at least a quarter of a tank of gas in the vehicle at all times to keep the pump cool and replace your fuel filter quite often.

I hope it isn't your pump, it isn't cheap!

Thank, I am afraid that is what it is. I've talked to a couple of mechanics and they have said the same thing. By the way, What should the cost be approx.?

[sbrbnh8r]

I paid $260 for the pump, $20 for a fuel filter and $100 for the install. I have a friend who is a mechanic and his uncle sells parts. When I checked around I was quoted $250-$300 for labor and anywhere from $300 - $360 for the pump depending on the brand. I never was quoted the price on a fuel filter. The Airtex pump that I bought lasted a month and a half. Trying AC Delco this time.

There was a hot burning smell coming from the back of the truck this AM. I checked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration web site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ and found the info below. Looks like they are looking into a recall. I hope it is recalled before mine dies again. Sounds like once the pump starts dying, it is a recurring problem.

Hope your luck is better than mine....

Office of Defects Investigation

Defects - Search Results

Report Date : December 2, 2004 at 11:53 AM
SEARCH TYPE : VEHICLE
YEAR : 2001
Make : CHEVROLET
Model : SUBURBAN
Type : ANY

NHTSA Action Number : PE04042 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make : CHEVROLET Model: SUBURBAN
Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Year : 2001
Component : FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Date Investigation Opened : May 3, 2004
Date Investigation Closed : September 9, 2004
Summary: THE FUEL PUMP WIRING AND CONNECTOR MAY OVERHEAT AND MELT A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE FUEL TANK LEAKAGE AND ENGINE STALL WITH NO RESTART. FOURTEEN OF THE 20 COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGE FUEL TANK LEAKAGE, INCLUDING ONE THAT REPORTED THAT A FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AFTER A "POOL" OF GASOLINE WAS DISCOVERED BENEATH THE VEHICLE. MOST OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS REPORT INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. ACCORDING TO GM, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IF THE HEAT IS SUFFICIENT TO MELT A HOLE IN THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR LARGE ENOUGH FOR LIQUID FUEL TO FLOW THROUGH. ON-BOARD EMISSIONS DIAGNOSTICS MAY DETECT HOLES THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY 0.040 INCHES OR MORE AND SET A SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT. THE CONNECTOR POSITION IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS BELOW THE FUEL LEVEL WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. WHILE GM DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL COULD LEAK FROM A TANK WITH A MELTED FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR, SEVERAL CONSUMERS HAVE REPORTED SIGNIFICANT LEAK EVENTS. ENGINE STALL CAN OCCUR IF: (1) A SHORT OCCURS IN THE PUMP WIRING (BARE WIRE EXPOSED BY MELTED INSULATION SHORTS AGAINST A GROUND OR GROUND WIRE) AND THE FUEL PUMP RELAY FUSE IS BLOWN; OR (2) THE VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF FUEL DUE TO AN INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE READING RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP WIRING AND THE LEVEL SENSOR WIRING. GM'S ANALYSIS OF FIVE ASSEMBLIES RETURNED FROM INCIDENT VEHICLES DETERMINED THAT "THE CONDITION IS CAUSED BY ELEVATED RESISTANCE/ ARCING AT THE MRA UNDERCOVER B CAVITY TERMINAL OF THE FOUR-WAY 150 METRI-PAK CONNECTOR." GM ATTRIBUTES THE HIGH RESISTANCE AND ARCING TO "A DEPRESSED CONTACT ARM AT THE 150 METRI-PAK B CAVITY FEMALE TERMINAL." GM IS CONTINUING ITS INVESTIGATION TO COMPLETE ITS ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES USING THE 150 METRI-PAK CONNECTORS WERE USED BY GM IN SEVERAL MILLION C/K-SERIES SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS FROM MY 1997 THROUGH 2002, WHEN GM RELEASED A METAL MRA COVER AND A 280 METRI-PAK CONNECTOR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. DURING PE04-042, ODI COLLECTED INFORMATION FROM GM CONCERNING MY 2000-2002 C/K SUV'S AND PICKUP TRUCKS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 9 PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR THOSE VEHICLES AND ABOUT 39 PERCENT OF COMPLAINTS TO GM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY, AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN GM C/K-SERIES VEHICLES.


NHTSA Action Number : EA04026 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make : CHEVROLET Model: SUBURBAN
Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Year : 2001
Component : FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Date Investigation Opened : September 9, 2004
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary: THE FUEL PUMP WIRING AND CONNECTOR MAY OVERHEAT AND MELT A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE FUEL TANK LEAKAGE AND ENGINE STALL WITH NO RESTART. FOURTEEN OF THE 20 COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGE FUEL TANK LEAKAGE, INCLUDING ONE THAT REPORTED THAT A FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AFTER A “POOL” OF GASOLINE WAS DISCOVERED BENEATH THE VEHICLE. MOST OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS REPORT INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE PAST YEAR. ACCORDING TO GM, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IF THE HEAT IS SUFFICIENT TO MELT A HOLE IN THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR LARGE ENOUGH FOR LIQUID FUEL TO FLOW THROUGH. ON-BOARD EMISSIONS DIAGNOSTICS MAY DETECT HOLES THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY 0.040 INCHES OR MORE AND SET A SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT. THE CONNECTOR POSITION IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS BELOW THE FUEL LEVEL WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. WHILE GM DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL COULD LEAK FROM A TANK WITH A MELTED FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR, SEVERAL CONSUMERS HAVE REPORTED SIGNIFICANT LEAK EVENTS. ENGINE STALL CAN OCCUR IF: (1) A SHORT OCCURS IN THE PUMP WIRING (BARE WIRE EXPOSED BY MELTED INSULATION SHORTS AGAINST A GROUND OR GROUND WIRE) AND THE FUEL PUMP RELAY FUSE IS BLOWN; OR (2) THE VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF FUEL DUE TO AN INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE READING RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP WIRING AND THE LEVEL SENSOR WIRING. GM’S ANALYSIS OF FIVE ASSEMBLIES RETURNED FROM INCIDENT VEHICLES DETERMINED THAT “THE CONDITION IS CAUSED BY ELEVATED RESISTANCE/ ARCING AT THE MRA UNDERCOVER B CAVITY TERMINAL OF THE FOUR-WAY 150 METRI-PAK CONNECTOR.” GM ATTRIBUTES THE HIGH RESISTANCE AND ARCING TO “A DEPRESSED CONTACT ARM AT THE 150 METRI-PAK B CAVITY FEMALE TERMINAL.” GM IS CONTINUING ITS INVESTIGATION TO COMPLETE ITS ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES USING THE 150 METRI-PAK CONNECTORS WERE USED BY GM IN SEVERAL MILLION C/K-SERIES SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS FROM MY 1997 THROUGH 2002, WHEN GM RELEASED A METAL MRA COVER AND A 280 METRI-PAK CONNECTOR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. DURING PE04-042, ODI COLLECTED INFORMATION FROM GM CONCERNING MY 2000-2002 C/K SUV’S AND PICKUP TRUCKS. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 9 PERCENT OF PRODUCTION FOR THOSE VEHICLES AND ABOUT 39 PERCENT OF COMPLAINTS TO GM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY, AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN GM C/K-SERIES VEHICLES.

[Mr. Histamine]

My dad had the same problem with his Suburban. When he took it to the dealership it cost $360 for the GM Brand pump and $280 for labor. When it died a second time (within two months), he only had to pay for labor since the pump came with a lifetime warranty. The same problems occured with my '97 Tahoe (which kind of suggests that either they're moving slow to redesign the pumps or there's a bad batch of fuel pumps that are working their way through).

[speedy11]

Im on my second pump also, done at 34k, Now about to do my third.
2000 5.3 liter suburban

[sbrbnh8r]

Well.... I pulled into the driveway last night and my Suburban cut out again. When I turn the key, I don't here the pump priming. Looks like I need a new pump (3rd time!). Once it is replaced I am going to start looking at getting a new, non-GM vehicle. This is my third GM and I have had major problems with 2 of them. I can't believe that with the amount of complaints I have seen about this on the web, and from comments by mechanics and auto parts salesmen that Chevy (GM) is doing nothing about this. Let's pray for a recall!

On another note, I have also lost the heat, AC (2 times), the brakes (master cylinder), and the heater in the side mirror. All these within the 1st couple years. Are Suburbans just junk anymore? Is anyone else having these same kind of problems?

[sbrbnh8r]

One more thought....

If you have having this kind of issue with a fuel pump, please file a complaint here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Maybe it will do some good.

[speedy11]

Originally Posted by sbrbnh8r

One more thought....

If you have having this kind of issue with a fuel pump, please file a complaint here: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Maybe it will do some good.

Just for the record mine turned out to be the fuel regulator. it was leaking into the intake and caused my front knock sensor to go bad. Found it on ebay for $20.00
Regulator $70.00 from the dealer. I replaced it myself.

My wife still drives the suburban, (paid for)but I bought a Nissan Titan Crew cab 4x4 for my transportation. I was looking at the Avalanche and the Z71 crew cab. Neither one could hold a light to the Nissan in every aspect and Ive been a GM guy for 20 yrs! Oh well guess it couldn't last forever.
Later

[brokeandtrkless]

I do hear a buzz my truck started but I couldn't give it gas and turned off what can I do

[maxwedge]

Gentlemen this is a very old thread in future please start a new one, re: no start check fuel pressure at the rail, you need 60 psi min.